The Days of Saiyaman
by SpacemanSpiff
Summary: *Complete* Gohan's days as his alter ego as he finds the strangest feelings coming from the strangest places. Rated 'R' because FF.net wants it that way. They decided to delete it so I'm putting it back up. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
"HELP!!!!! THIEF!!!!!!!"  
  
  
  
The words rang out across the crowded street and vanished into the busy air of the passing traffic. People yelled and cursed as they were shoved aside by the fleeing robber. With his ripped clothes sailing in the wind as he rushed as fast as he possibly could through the streets, weaving in between cars, dodging bicycles, and simply plowing through pedestrians. His appearance gave the impression that this was how he made his living, his home being a dark alley somewhere, burnt rubbish sitting in the bottom of a trash can.   
  
  
  
He turned a corner onto a quiet side street and leaned against a pole to catch his breath. As he did, he opened the purse he had just snatched and began to go through its contents. Distracted by his search, he failed to notice the figure slowly descending behind him. The thief's eyes went wide with terror as this new arrival cleared his throat. He slowly turned around to face him and began to step back as he recognized the green cloth thrown over the black jump suit and tied with a white belt, red cape draped from his shoulders down to his heels. The white bandana on his head, accented by the slick shades drawn over his eyes finished the look.   
  
  
  
"I believe that belongs to someone else.", Gohan said cool and calm, but maybe too cool and calm.  
  
  
  
"Sa...Sa...Saiyaman.", the thief eventually spit out, unable to control whatever sense of speech he had. He was too scared to even try and make a run for it. He simply stood there holding the purse, not moving a muscle as if, for some reason or another, he thought that it would make Gohan go away. The sounds of sirens were drawing near.  
  
  
  
"Well are you just going to stand there or are you going to give that nice lady her purse back?", Gohan asked.  
  
  
  
The thief didn't seem to even have heard the question until he turned his head as police cars stopped at each end of the street, blocking any way that he could escape. It finally hit him like a brick and so he answered.  
  
  
  
"Sure! Sure! Here take it, I surrender, just don't hurt me, please!", he was almost on his knees begging as he handed the purse over to Gohan. The cops came over and threw the cuffs on him. As one officer started reading the rights, the other came over to Gohan with a smile.  
  
  
  
"Thanks Saiyaman. I don't know what we'd do without ya.", the officer said giving Gohan a firm handshake. "I'd watch out for Videl, though. She might get a little steamed if she gets wind of you stealin' her business."  
  
  
  
"Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind.", Gohan responded as he handed the purse over to the cop. With all said and done, Gohan took off into the sky. The thief watched him until he disappeared through the clouds, he hadn't even being listening to the cop reading him his rights. He could only focus on Saiyaman. It would be all he thought about for a long time.  
  
  
  
As Gohan broke through the top of the clouds, he thought about what the cop had said. He had gotten into some trouble with Videl before, but he figured it would happen every now and then. What he hadn't counted on was that she had her own personal bounty set on his head. She was going to expose him in one way or another. Gohan thought about how to possibly avoid confrontation, but he couldn't help thinking how every time he did have to meet her on bad terms, he almost enjoyed it. He sort of liked to see her flared up and ready to throw down. A smile started to sprout on his face at the thought, until he remembered something.  
  
  
  
"Oh man! I'm late for school...", Gohan muttered as the thought ran across his mind, "...again."  
  
* * *  
  
He could hear the late bell ringing constantly in the back of his mind as he dropped from the sky and landed ever so softly on the roof. He pressed a button on his wristwatch and his outfit changed from the Saiyaman costume to his normal school clothing. He dashed through the stairwell door and made his way quickly to his class. He busted through the classroom door as the teacher was in the middle of a lecture. She turned and frowned at the sight of him.  
  
  
  
"You're late, Gohan.", she said in a tone that she was obviously substituting for yelling, "Where have you been?"  
  
  
  
Gohan's mind raced as he thought of an excuse that would best suit his case. He stumbled into the room and began to make his way to his seat as he sheepishly delivered the lie.  
  
  
  
"Um...heh heh...I, uh, overslept.", Gohan managed through a traffic jam of phrases he had prepared ever since school started, and for some reason that was the only excuse that ever managed to come out.  
  
  
  
"Again?! Really Gohan, you need to manage your time a little better. Or maybe you just need an alarm clock.", the teacher ranted across the room, "Now take your seat so the rest of the class may continue to benefit from what I have to say."  
  
  
  
Gohan took his seat next to Erasa and hid behind his book in cowardice. He didn't even notice at first that Erasa was talking to him until she took his book away.  
  
  
  
"So what happened to you this morning? That's the third time this week that you've come in late.", she asked.  
  
  
  
"Well, uh, you know, with the long commute and all. I just can't afford to sleep those few extra minutes.", Gohan said trying to cover up any tone in his voice that might suggest he was lying.   
  
  
  
"I think you're full of it, Gohan.", the piercing words of the one girl Gohan wasn't ready to hear from came flying at his face. "Everytime you come in late you use that excuse. I think you're hiding something."  
  
  
  
"What could I possibly have to hide, Videl?", Gohan asked followed up by a sheepish laugh that should've tipped anybody off that he was trying to avoid telling the truth.  
  
  
  
"I dunno. But I'll find out sooner or later, after I'm finished with Saiyaman that is. That's my first priority.", Videl declared.  
  
  
  
"Videl, baby, you need to chill with this obsession you have with Saiyaman. It ain't worth it. You could toast his ass in a second, no doubt.", Sharpner said leaning back in his chair, trying to be as cool as possible.  
  
  
  
"I suppose you'd rather me turn my obsession on to you, eh Sharpner?", Videl said.  
  
  
  
"Well, now that ya mention it...", Sharpner started sitting up to make a play on Videl.  
  
  
  
"Well tough luck, bud. You're the last thing I would ever think about so get over it.", Videl quietly yelled.  
  
  
  
"Hey guys, quiet down or we'll get in...", Gohan began before he was cut off by the annoying voice of his teacher.  
  
  
  
"Gohan, do you have something you wish to share with the class?", she demanded.  
  
  
  
"No ma'am.", Gohan replied as he once again sank into the shelter of his book.  
  
* * *  
  
After his first class, Gohan's day pretty much went back to normal. He managed to avoid any other questions from Videl or anyone else that might give away his secret. But every now and then he would notice her staring at him. That iron glare that seemed to go right through him. It made him feel uncomfortable for the most part, but another part of him found himself looking back and almost enjoying the attention, even if it was because he was hiding something.   
  
  
  
When school got out, he made his way down the street to where he had left the nimbus cloud. As he was walking he heard her voice again, calling his name.   
  
  
  
"GOHAN!!!", she yelled as if it were the only way she could get his attention. "How do you plan on getting home?"  
  
  
  
"Uh, I have a car.", Gohan lied.  
  
  
  
"Ya know, I've never seen your car. Do you mind showing it to me?", she asked, obviously trying to dig into Gohan's secret.  
  
  
  
"Well...uh...I guess I could...but...", Gohan stammered through a lie being made that instant. Luckily he didn't have to go on as the watch on Videl's arm went off.  
  
  
  
"Damn, I gotta go. Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow. Don't be late.", she said as she ran off to her hover-copter. The name SATAN was blazed across the hull as it shot into the air and towards the scene of the crime. Gohan wiped the waterfall of sweat running down his forhead as he exhaled the stress he had just been put under. He realized that he had to confront her again, however. He once again donned his constume as Saiyaman and headed off to where Videl was headed.  
  
  
  
When he got there he stopped and landed on a building overhead where he saw a circle of cop cars surrounding one man in the middle of the street. The cops were all kneeling behind their open car doors with weapons drawn ready to shoot at the command. But it wasn't that easy. The man standing in the middle of the street was strapped with dynamite and he held in his hand the detonator. He claimed he could destroy the whole city block if the cops didn't give him what they wanted.   
  
  
  
Just as it seemed hopeless, Videl arrived in her hover-copter. She stepped out and made her way towards the circle. She talked a bit with the chief and he decided to let her talk to the guy. She stepped forward and carefully made her way towards him. She started talking to him, saying things and asking questions to take his attention away from what he had come here to do. As she did she slowly inched closer and closer. Gohan watched, but stayed clear as to avoid any confrontation that was possible.   
  
  
  
"You know you don't have to do this. Everything will be fine if you just stop all of this.", Videl argued.  
  
  
  
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!!!", the man screamed. It didn't look like Videl was getting anywhere with the guy, but she continued and took a few more steps closer. What she didn't count on was the small pothole in the road that her foot fell into. It blatantly accented her footstep and it triggered the guy's reflexes. His bloodshot eyes got wide and he held the detonator high above his head and screamed. Videl could only watch in horror as his finger fell onto the small red button. The next thing she saw was a bright flash and then nothing, blackness.   
  
  
  
When she realized she was still alive she opened her eyes and noticed a pair of arms around her body. As she got up the arms left her body and she turned around to be face to face with Saiyaman. He had shielded her from the blast at the last second. The explosion was much smaller than the man had boasted and only left some marks from the shrapnel on the surrounding police cars. She stared at him with a mixed feeling of love and hate. She didn't know what exactly to say to him at that time, but she didn't get a chance to as he turned around and flew away.  
  
  
  
"Wow, Videl. You're lucky to be alive. I guess that Saiyaman ain't so bad after all.", the chief said.  
  
  
  
"Yea...", she said breathlessly, "...I guess." 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Sleep didn't come easy that night. Gohan was continuously tossing and turning and sitting up every so often to look out the window. The pale moon was exceptionally bright, there being no clouds in the sky. Its enticing glow was almost comforting and drew a blanket of warmth down his body. He relaxed and fell back down onto a soft cushion of dreams. His senses dulled almost to the point of sleep as his eyes disappeared beneath their lids. Just as his mind was about to bring him to sleep, he thought of her. He opened his eyes and sat up once more.   
  
  
  
He couldn't help thinking about Videl and what had happened after school. That look she had given him. It wasn't her normal gaze of irritance or annoyance. She didn't even tell him to stay out of her business as usual. Maybe she was starting to give in a little. Maybe she was actually grateful that he had saved her life. Or maybe it was...  
  
Gohan caught a glimpse of something outside through the corner of his eye. He got up and went to the window to have a look. He saw a figure standing in the middle of the yard under the light of the moon. He couldn't tell who or what it was, but he planned to find out. He threw on some pants and a shirt and jumped out into the open air. As he glided down, the figure did not move. It remained still even as Gohan approached it. As Gohan got closer he began to make out its features. Its back was turned, but Gohan could make out the long white T-shirt with dark skin-tight shorts. It had an obviously female figure and Gohan thought he almost smelled perfume. When he noticed the hair pulled into two separate pony tails thrown over her shoulders, he knew who it was.  
  
"Videl?", Gohan whispered, not sure whether or not he actually wanted her to hear him. But nevertheless she turned around to face him. It was her. Her eyes twinkled in the light and her smile obviously meant she wasn't here for something about school. Her smooth white skin enhanced the moon's glow as it bounced off her face. It made him want to reach out and touch her, but he restrained himself. Before Gohan could even think of anything to say, she spoke.  
  
"I know your secret, Gohan.", she said, her smile unbroken through her words like she knew she had complete control.  
  
"You what?", Gohan blurted out, "How do you kn...I mean, what secret?"  
  
"You can't fool me. I figured you out and there's no way to get out of it, Saiyaman.", she said almost like she was teasing him. But she had hit the bullseye and she was right, there was no way out of it. Gohan simply stood there, shocked, defeated.  
  
"You're not going to tell anyone are you?", Gohan asked hoping for some sort of 'of course not' answer.  
  
"That's not what's important right now.", Videl answered. Her tone had changed from a coy tease to something more intimate, almost sensual. "You know, I didn't get to say thank you for saving me earlier today."  
  
"Ah, it was nothing really.", Gohan responded in that boyish way as he lifted his arm to scratch the back of his head. He didn't even notice that she had gotten closer to him, within an armlength.   
  
"I've got to tell you something and I need to know if you feel the same way.", Videl said getting even closer to Gohan. He could see her face clear as day and the sincerity on it left him rather unsettled.  
  
"Okay.", Gohan whispered as that was all his mouth could manage at this point. She leaned in so close that they were almost touching.  
  
"Gohan, I...", before she could finish she was yanked back into the darkness. Something was pulling her deeper into the night. Gohan chased after her, he had to save her. Gohan stopped when he saw her under a beam of light with a pair of lanky arms wrapped around her, one of which was holding a detonator. Her attacker stepped into the light and Gohan reeled back in shock. It was the same guy from that afternoon and he seemed just as ready to press the button as before. Videl squirmed to break free, but had no luck. Gohan took a step forward and the man snapped. That same terrifying scream filled the air as he lifted the detonator, Videl's eyes wide with tears and terror, and pressed the red button. She was immediatly consumed by the explosion and Gohan could only stand and watch as his eyes blurred, filled with tears of rage. He shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth hard, but it was too much, and so he simply screamed.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!", Gohan yelled as he burst from the covers and found himself sitting in his bed. He was breathing very heavily and the sweat dripped from his brow onto the soft sheets. As he caught his breath he glanced out the window just to make sure there was no one there. The moon was still bright as it sent its light through his bedroom window, but it was not as comforting as before. It didn't feel warm like before, but instead made the sweat on his face feel colder and it sent a chill down his spine.   
  
"It was just a dream.", Gohan said to himself, hoping it would make himself feel better.  
  
"Looked more like a nightmare to me.", came a young voice that startled Gohan, almost making him fall off the side of the bed. He regained his composure and saw Goten looking at him from the bed next to his. His innocent little face was staring right at him.   
  
"Gee squirt, could ya try not to scare me like that?", Gohan said as he wiped the sweat off of his face. Goten lowered his head to the ground as if he had been scolded by his mother. "Ah I'm sorry Goten. It's just been a weird day for me and..."  
  
"You talk in your sleep.", Goten interrupted.  
  
It took Gohan a second to register, but he quickly snapped back into reality.  
  
"What? What did you hear?", Gohan quickly asked.  
  
"You said some girl's name and then you shouted something about a secret.", Goten confessed, "Then you mumbled something else before you woke up screaming."  
  
"Do you remember that girl's name?", Gohan asked.  
  
"Videl.", Goten replied. Gohan got worried for a second but then thought it was nothing. It was Goten, his little brother. He could trust him to keep a little secret.  
  
"Hey squirt, I think it's best that we keep this a secret, especially from mom, okay?", Gohan pleaded.  
  
"Okay.", Goten agreed.  
  
"Now get some sleep and I'll come home early tomorrow to play with you.", Gohan said, hopefully sealing the deal.  
  
"Alright! You got it!", Goten happily replied. As the little mirror image of Goku lay back down with a smile, he quickly fell into a deep slumber. Gohan watched as the kid slept ever so peacefully. It made Gohan think that Goten had probably never even had nightmare before. His life was so easy at his stage, so carefree. There was nothing for him to ever worry about. As Gohan put his head back on his pillow, he continued to watch the little tike. It brought a certain level of comfort to him and he quickly fell asleep as well.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning was even more uneventful. When Gohan got out of bed he felt like he had gotten no more than two hours of sleep. His eyelids still felt heavy and his body ached. After his shower he put on his school clothes and grabbed his book sack on his way downstairs. Everyone was already at the table eating breakfast as he shuffled into the room and slumped down at his seat. He slowly began shoving food into his already half open mouth.   
  
"You look like hell, Gohan. Are you alright?", Chi-Chi asked as she continued to cook for Goku's endless appetite.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep much last night.", he responded wearily.  
  
"Did those nightmares keep you up all night?", she asked. That jump-started Gohan's system and he immediatly turned his reaction to Goten.  
  
"You told her?!", he yelled. Goten started to sink under the table in an attempt to escape the pressure. Only his spiky hair could be seen over the table.  
  
"And who is this Videl girl of yours. I hope your not being distracted from your studies with a girlfriend.", Chi-Chi added.  
  
"Ah geez Goten, you told her everything didn't you.", Gohan said slapping his hand to the front of his face. The rest of the spiky hair disappeared under the table and the sound of clothes shuffling across hardwood floors could be heard all the way out of the room.  
  
"Don't get off the subject Gohan. I want to know who this Videl is.", Chi-Chi demanded.  
  
"Ah lighten up on him Chi-Chi.", Goku broke in, trying to make it easier on his son. Not exactly a smart move when you're talking to Chi-Chi. "He's just..."  
  
"I don't want to hear it Goku. You stick up for Gohan enough. I want to know the truth right now.", she said, even more demanding than before. Gohan released a conceding sigh.  
  
"Videl is this girl at school. She's got some plan to find out Saiyaman's identity and I think she's starting to see me as a suspect.", Gohan said hoping to avoid putting her name and the word 'girlfriend' in the same sentence.  
  
"Does she have a last name?", Chi-Chi asked. This was the question Gohan was worried about. He wasn't sure how his parents would react when they heard it, but he had no other choice.  
  
"Satan. Videl Satan.", Gohan replied. His parents reactions were no less than he expected. They each fell over backwards, legs sticking straight up into the air. Gohan almost wanted to start laughing, but he knew that if he wanted to get to school on time he'd have to make a break for it, before the millions of questions started coming in. As his parents picked themselves up from their fit of shock, Gohan was making his way for the door.   
  
"Oh no you don't. You're not done talking yet, bud.", Chi-Chi commanded.  
  
"Sorry mom, gotta go. Can't be late for school.", Gohan said as he scurried out the door and took flight,the nimbus cloud following close behind. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The whole way to school that morning, all Gohan could think about was what he was going to say to Videl. Even though it was just a dream, it felt so real that it actually made him nervous just to think about her. He didn't even have time to think of anything before he noticed that he was about to pass over the school. He hopped off the nimbus cloud and drifted down to the roof as he checked his watch. He would actually be on time to class today, which was always a nice way to start the day. But today it just meant that he would have to face Videl that much sooner. He almost wished that someone would rob a bank or hold up a store. Gohan just stood for a moment and stared at the door to the stairwell, hoping that maybe an idea would pop into his head at the last second. With no white light at the end of his tunnel, he took a deep breath and walked down the stairs.  
  
  
  
As he walked down the hall, he kept thinking about how he was going to get through the day, completely blind to the fact that there was nobody there. He opened the door to the classroom and stopped in his tracks when he saw every single seat empty. Not even the teacher was in the room. The bell rang. It sounded even louder without people in the halls and rooms as the piercing ding echoed throughout the building. As the sound of the bell disappeared, another sound caught Gohan's attention. It was footsteps walking down the hall towards the classroom. He swung around just as the footsteps brought that person into the doorway. Gohan's breath caught in his throat.  
  
"Figures you'd be here.", Videl said as if she had expected him. "I guess you forgot that my dad was giving a presentation today. Everybody's in the auditorium. The teacher figured you'd be late and sent me up here to get you."  
  
"Oh...uh...okay.", Gohan barely managed out of his constricted throat. Gohan couldn't help but stare at her while she stood there in that way that gives the idea she was trying to seem masculine, but in a cute way. She cut him off just before he started drooling.  
  
"Well are you coming or are you just going to stand there?", she asked.  
  
"Yea, let's get goin, heh heh.", Gohan said as he put himself back together and started out the door and down the hall.  
  
"You're so weird, Gohan. I just don't get you.", Videl said as she shook her head and led Gohan down the hall.  
  
The walk seemed to last forever. Gohan watched Videl as she walked just ahead of him. He couldn't help but notice how her steps worked in perfect harmony with her body. No matter how strong she tried to make herself look, she still mananged to have such grace. He admired her in that sense, but he still had that thorn in his mind, trying to tell him that it was something more. He repressed it, but it brought up something to talk about on their way.  
  
"So uh...what happened yesterday afterschool?", Gohan tried to ask as if he didn't have any idea.  
  
"What do you mean?", she responded.  
  
"Well, you know we were talking yesterday afterschool and then you got a call and ran off."  
  
"Oh it was nothing. Just some psycho that blew himself up in the middle of downtown.", she brushed off the question.  
  
"Nothing? It doesn't sound like nothing. Was everything alright?", Gohan tried to get back onto the subject.  
  
"Yea...", she said as she trailed off in a thought, which Gohan could only imagine was about her encounter with Saiyaman. He couldn't tell any emotion from the look in her face. She could've been thinking how much she hated him or appreciated him. Then he thought he saw a smile drawn across one corner of her mouth before she caught herself. "...well the guy died, but other than that no one else was hurt."  
  
"So you saved the day.", Gohan said, hoping she might say something about Saiyaman.  
  
"Well here we are Gohan. Our class is seated over there. I'm going up on stage with my father.", she said as she pointed to a section of seats and walked off. Gohan was a little disappointed that he didn't get what he wanted to hear, but he figured he'd get another chance.  
  
* * *  
  
The helicopter overhead could not be heard inside the auditorium even as it hovered rather low. It was some kind of stealth chopper as all you could hear was the sound of the blades cutting the air. Three men in thugged out army fatigues repelled from the hovering metal body and landed on the roof. After detaching themselves from the rope they took their assault rifles from around their shoulders. They lined up at specific windows overlooking the entire room. They could see the seats, the stage and everything inbetween while staying out of sight. They quietly opened the windows and prepared to make their move on the signal. And the signal would be walking on stage any minute now.  
  
* * *  
  
As the lights dimmed and the crowd settled down, the spotlight came on and highlighted a podium at stage right. The principle of the school stepped out into the light and stood behind the podium as he prepared to introduce the special guest of the show.  
  
"Good morning.", he said trying to get the crowd's attention. Of course the response is never good enough the first time for any principle and so he repeated, "Good morning." Being pleased with the response the second time he proceeded to give his introduction. "With us this morning we have a very special guest. He's responsible for all that we have today and has made this city one of the greatest around. There is so much I can say to praise this man, but without further adieu I give you, the World's Martial Arts Champion, Mr. Satan!"  
  
The crowd went wild as the curtain split in two and each half receded to the sides, revealing the man of the hour, standing center stage. His white cloak completely covered his body and he had his head down. The crowd started chanting the name 'Satan' over and over again until he lifted his head to face the audience. That huge stupid grin crossed his face and he threw his hands out, his cloak spreading out like an eagle's wings as he let out a resounding yell. The crowd got even rowdier. They started jumping up and down and yelling and stomping their feet. Mr. Satan threw up one hand and gave his famous 'victory' sign. The crowd was so loud that they didn't even notice that above them, three assassins were dropping down in position.  
  
"Oh yeah, baby, I'm on fire!", yelled the enthusiastic Mr. Satan. Being blinded by the stage lights he could not see the men descending from the ceiling. And so without fear, he untied his cloak and threw it up into the air. Three gunshots were heard over the noise of the crowd and before the cloak touched the ground, Mr. Satan and his two guards offstage lay there, bleeding from the chest. For a split second, everything was quiet. And then...complete pandemonium. Everyone was running wild trying to get out in case there were more bullets flying around.   
  
Gohan looked up, where the shots had come from, but saw nothing. He did notice, however, that one of the windows in the ceiling was open. One of the assassins had gotten careless on the exit. Gohan immediately ran out of view and pressed the button on his watch. He flew up through the open window and looked for the assassins. He saw nothing, but he could feel the presence of something in the air. He flew straight up and looked around. He couldn't see anything, but he felt the vibrations of the chopper blades.   
  
'It must be in the clouds somewhere.', he thought as he tried to find the chopper from what he sensed. He could tell he was getting closer as he flew just below the clouds. He had gotten so close when a missle flew straight out of the clouds and was on a collision course with Gohan. He noticed it well in advance and headed right for it. He caught the missle as he followed its point of origin right into the cloud the chopper was hiding in. Gohan simply threw the missle into the helicopter, completely destroying it. Two men jumped out of the chopper at the last second and Gohan went after them. He grabbed them before they cratered on the streets below.   
  
When Gohan made it back with the two criminals, they were loading Mr. Satan onto an ambulance, Videl in tears at her father's side until they lifted him up and closed the doors behind. Gohan gave the two men to the police and explained who they were before going over to Videl. The sirens and lights seemed silent and dark as Videl fell to her knees and began to weep. Gohan ran over to her and tried to talk to her, but she was taken by the Satan body guards who were making sure she would not be harmed by another attack.   
  
"Videl!", Gohan yelled. She looked back as she was being led by the body guards. They locked eyes for a brief moment, even with a crowd of people between them. Her wet eyes were like daggers to Gohan's heart, he couldn't bear to see her like that. Not someone as strong as she. She turned back around and got into the car that would take her back to the mansion. Gohan just stood there and watched as her car drove away, and at that moment he wished he could tell her how much he cared. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
The next day was cast under a shadow of darkness as the storm rolled in and the rain fell from the sky. School was cancelled because of the events that had happened the day before, the ringing of gunshots still echo in back of everyones mind. Gohan sat by the window of his bedroom watching the heavy showers pound the ground as he thought about Videl, the only thing to cross his mind for the past few days. He wondered how she was doing after what had happened to her father. He knew how it felt to lose someone like that and he hoped it didn't have to happen to her. A brilliant flash of lightning interrupted his daze and the monstrous thunder shook the house.   
  
  
  
He realized just how much he wanted to see her. He wanted to make sure with his own eyes that she was okay. The rain didn't even give him a doubt about what he was about to do. He made his way downstairs, stopping only to tell his mother he was heading out.  
  
"I'm going to check on Videl and Mr. Satan. I'll be back for dinner.", Gohan explained as he made his way out.  
  
"But Gohan, it's raining.", she said, but Gohan was already out the door and taking flight.  
  
The rain didn't even bother him. In fact it almost felt good as it fell upon his skin. It would roll across his face and down his arms as he shot across the sky. The smell of the storm was refreshing to his lungs and he wondered why he didn't do this more often. But he had somewhere to be and couldn't be distracted by such sensations. Yet the lightning seemed to reflect his sadness and rage as it streaked down from the clouds above. He was going to find out why Mr. Satan was attacked, for Videl's sake.   
  
As he began to clear the storm, he could see the city on the horizon. He figured if he was going to be flying around he had better get into his Saiyaman outfit, seeing as how people might get a little freaked seeing a kid shooting across the skyline. When he had finally cleared the rain he pressed the button and was immediately wrapped in his costume. The sun brought warmth back to his body as its gleaming rays bounced off of him. A smile started to sneak its way across his face. Why he was smiling, he didn't know. But that little nagging thought in the back of his mind knew why. And it was trying to tell him, if only Gohan would listen to it.  
  
The buildings began to whiz by beneath him as he entered the city limits. The people below had grown used to Saiyaman making rounds through the city, searching for a crime to stop. But every now and then he'd have someone point at him with jaw dropped to their feet...usually kids. They always wanted to be just like him when they grew up. Little did they know just how possible their dreams could come true.   
  
Gohan noticed as he was flying by, a car, a black Lincoln, swerving through traffic, cutting off every driver not going the 60 miles per hour that he was, until, after running a red light, turned into a garage at an old warehouse. Gohan didn't have to time to worry about that at the moment. His only concern was Videl. But he wasn't sure where to find her.   
  
'I'll bet she's at the hospital with her dad.', Gohan thought as he shifted his direction and headed for the medical facility. It shortly came into view and as he started to descend, he wondered what he would say. Would he just say he was visiting Mr. Satan, or should he tell her that he really just came to check on her. To tell her how he felt about her.   
  
'No No! I can't say that. It wouldn't be right. Not now.', Gohan's puzzled mind questioned and contested as he walked through the hospital doors. And the question kept popping up saying "But when?" and Gohan could never find the answer. 'I don't know when. Maybe never. I can live with that...'  
  
"...but you can't.", said the lady at the desk. Gohan looked up surprised and rather nervous.  
  
"Wh..What?", Gohan stuttered.  
  
"You can't go see Mr. satan. His visiting hours are over. Nobody is allowed in there right now. Not even Saiyaman.", she said as she gave him a warm grin and a wink that made Gohan quirk his eyebrow. He then looked down to notice that he was still wearing his outfit. He began to blush and that geeky grin found his face as he realized how stupid he must look at this very moment. After a moment of feeling stupid, he worked up the confidence to ask a question.  
  
"Is Videl allowed in there?", he asked  
  
"Nope.", she replied, "She was here awhile ago, but went back home when visiting hours were over. She's been by his bed every chance she got today. I suppose she's still at home right now...", Gohan was out the door before she could finish the sentence.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
As he walked up to the gates of her house, he made sure he was not in his Saiyman outfit one more time. He looked at the enormous building that was before him, and he realized it looked a lot bigger from the sidewalk than it did from the air. He wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do as he stood behind the huge steel bars that kept him from even touching the property. He saw a small red button at one side of the doors and he pressed it, hoping it was some kind of doorbell. Not two seconds after he had hit the button, the front doors to her house opened up and two large bodyguards came out to greet him. They stopped right up against the gate, as close to Gohan as possible which gave him a certain level of discomfort.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want?", asked one of the bodyguards with a voice that would make a good substitute for thunder. Gohan was almost too intimidated to ask.  
  
"My name is Gohan and I've come to see Videl", he replied.  
  
"Ah, Gohan. You may enter. videl was hoping you would come.", said the other bodyguard.  
  
'She was?", Gohan thought, confused and pleased at the same time. That smile drew itself on his face once again as he followed "Rambo" and "Rocky" into the house.   
  
When he entered his jaw almost fell off at the size of the inside. He couldn't help but just stare in wonder as his head swiveled around to get a good look at everything. Everything was in perfect order and as clean as a whistle. It was an incredible sight to see compared to what Gohan was used to.  
  
"Follow me, kid.", said one bodyguard as he started walking away, the other staying behind at the door. Gohan quickly reeled his chin back up and began to walk with the huge statue of a man.   
  
Gohan noticed a light on in a room they passed on their way to Videl's room. He stuck his head in to turn out the light, but was captured, once again, by the size of the room. The whole room was probably bigger than his whole house and there were shelves lined around the walls with the most random stuff he could think of on them. He would've kept staring if he hadn't heard the bodyguard calling after him.  
  
"Hey kid, get outta the closet.", he yelled. Gohan quickly shut off the light and closed the door, returning to the guard's side.  
  
'That's a closet?", Gohan thought.  
  
When they finally got to her room, they met up with another bodyguard keeping watch at her door. He told them that she was in there and had been in there ever since they had returned from the hospital. The guard turned to open the door. When he did, everyone just stood there for a moment, blank expressions on their faces. There was no one in the room. When they came back to reality, they all rushed into the room looking every which way. Gohan noticed that the window next to her bed was open. They all went over and looked outside, but found no trace of her. Then Gohan saw something that made his face go pale. One of the window panes had been broken and blood was all over it, still dripping into a small puddle next to her bed. She had been kidnapped, there was no doubt about it. Somehow they had managed to get in without making a sound and keeping Videl quiet. Gohan was speechless. His mind was on lockdown, it didn't want to think.   
  
"Who the hell could've done this?", yelled one of the bodyguards. Gohan snapped back and knew of only one thing of Videl's kidnappers. They were probably from the same gang that attacked Mr. Satan.   
  
"I gotta go.", Gohan quickly stated as he ran out of the house. As soon as he was outside he took off, not even fearing that someone might see him without his costume on.  
  
* * *  
  
Gohan burst through the doors to the police station and ran to the front desk, sweat running down his face. The sweat not from fatigue, but from the thought of losing Videl. For some reason he couldn't stand to think that he would never see her again, never hear her again. As he collected his thoughts, the rather large, big-boned if you will, woman behind the desk asked him what he needed.  
  
"What do you need, hon?", she asked.  
  
"I have to speak with the prisoners that were brought in from the attack on Mr. Satan yesterday.", Gohan replied.  
  
"Sorry, we don't allow civilians to interrogate our prisoners.", she said. Gohan realized that he was not in Saiyaman attire and so he turned around and headed out the door. As he walked through one side of the double sided doors he turned his head to the side and said,"Hi Saiyaman.", as if he were trying to throw the lady at the desk off, if she had even been paying attention. Just as the door closed behind Gohan, he walked back in through the other side, decked out in costume. He strutted confidently up to the desk.  
  
"May I speak with the criminals apprehended yesterday after the attack on Mr. Satan?", he asked.  
  
"You'll have to talk to the chief upstairs.", she said and pointed to the stairwell.   
  
"Thank you, ma'am.", Gohan thanked the lady and headed towards the stairwell up to the chiefs office.  
  
'Man I'm good. She didn't notice a thing.', Gohan thought.   
  
The chief's office was at the end of a long aisle of cubicles in which every single officer stopped and stared. Gohan tried to ignore all the eyes on him, but he started to blush. He walked straight into the chief's office with every bit of determination he had.   
  
"I must speak with the criminals arrested yesterday. There has been a kidnapping and I think they might provide some useful information.", Gohan explained.  
  
"Well Saiyaman, havn't seen you in here before. I guess I can let you talk to him. We havn't had any luck.", the chief said.  
  
'Him?', Gohan thought. He figured maybe the chief had simply mispoke for he knew that he had captured two of them. The chief led Gohan down another aisle of cubicles to a bland room with one table and two chairs, one on each side. The chief told Gohan to wait as he went through another door on the other side to get the criminals. When the chief came back with only one guy, Gohan was rather shocked.  
  
"Here he is Saiyaman. See what you can do.", the chief said.  
  
"But...", the chief had left before Gohan could tell him there was supposed to be two men. The guy gave Gohan an evil stare as he walked over and slumped down in the chair, confidently putting his feet up on the table. But Gohan was in no mood for games at this point. Everything he knew was being screwed around with and his mind wasn't about to take it. He walked over to the table, facing the guy.  
  
"Where is the other one?", Gohan asked.  
  
"I don't know what your talking about.", the guy replied.  
  
"Where is he? I know there were two of you. I grabbed you when you jumped from the helicopter.", Gohan explained.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?", the guy teased. Gohan was not ready to be played. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. Gohan stressed his impatience by quickly slapping his hand on the table, breaking it into pieces. The guy's eyes went wide with shock, his feet still dangling in the air. He glanced up at Gohan who had a menacing look on his face. The guy still wasn't saying anything, but whether or not it was out of spite or from shock, Gohan was going to get it out of him.  
  
"WHERE IS HE?!", Gohan yelled as he released his ki into a small shockwave that picked the guy off his feet and slammed him into the wall, holding him there for the time being.  
  
"OKAY! OKAY! I'LL TELL YOU ANYTHING!", the fear had taken over his mouth and was speaking on his behalf.  
  
"Who are you working for and why did you attack Mr. Satan yesterday?", Gohan asked rather calmly.  
  
"Satan was rackin up bills with the boss. His gambling has been gettin him in trouble so the boss asked us to teach him a lesson he would remember.", the guy explained.  
  
"Does your boss have anything to do with Videl's kidnapping today?"  
  
"Probably. After you stopped us, Lou, the one that escaped arrest yesterday, more than likely told the boss about you. He's using her to get to you.", the guy rattled on. Gohan slowly let the guy down off the wall, feeling he would get what he wanted now.  
  
"But why would he think that Videl would get my attention?"  
  
"You're more open with your feelings that you think. We could tell you had a thing for her when we saw you starin' at her yesterday. Lou probably told the boss that you two were hittin' it off.", the guy started to get his sense of cockiness back. Gohan was started to get frustrated. He didn't like being made conscious of his habits of gazing. His temper was starting to bubble.  
  
"And where is your boss?", Gohan asked trying to stay as calm as possible.  
  
"Oh I couldn't tell you that. The boss would kill me.", the guy replied with a tone like he thought he had control of himself again. Gohan's temper flared at the statement and he walked right up to the guy and wrapped his fingers around his neck, lifting him off the ground slightly.  
  
"If you don't tell me, I'll kill you.", Gohan quietly shouted. His own words surprised him, but it wasn't him that was saying them. His uncontrollable drive to find Videl, to save her, was the one talking at the time.  
  
"Okay! Okay! He's in the old abandoned warehouse near the edge of the city, the corner of 10th and Main.", the guy quickly spit out, hoping Gohan would drop him from the strangle hold. Gohan suddenly remembered something. It made him forget all about the guy in his hands who was at the moment turning blue. The chief busted in to try and keep Gohan from killing the guy. Gohan finally released him and the guy fell to the floor gasping for breath. Gohan turned and ran out of the room and out of the police station, his mind racing. He had remembered something from earlier that afternoon. On his way into town, the car, the black Lincoln. It went into that warehouse. Videl was in that car. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
  
  
Cold steel running to the ground. The ripples creating black lines between the silver. Wind whistling through the bullet holes in random spots. A newspaper with the headline "Mr. Satan in Critical Condition" is blown up against the door and it glides down the sidewalk. People walk by, oblivious to the dark schemes that are organized behind this door. Their minds set on their normal cruise control pattern of a day that makes them get pissy at anything out of the ordinary. These are the people that Saiyaman had to save. But not today. There is only one person on his mind on this day. He didn't know why. He didn't care why. As he stood in front of this garage door, he could only think about how he was going to get Videl out of there. And her kidnappers, they would suffer.  
  
  
  
'Looks like this is the only way in.', Gohan thought as he stared down the large steel garage door. He figured he couldn't just walk up and knock on the door, so he got a better idea. An idea that would've made Vegeta smile had he been there. Gohan waited for the traffic to clear out and the people to walk by. When he found an opening he lifted one hand, palm facing the door with fingers extended. He charged up a small ball of energy and it glowed in his hands, the ends of his white bandana flowing in the breeze it created. His eyes narrowed as he prepared to bust his way in there.   
  
* * *  
  
"What are we gonna do when he gets here, boss?", Lou asked. He was probably more frightened than the others at the time, knowing that Saiyaman would recognize him.  
  
  
  
"We'll destroy him. Simple as that.", the boss replied, cool and confident. "The question is, are you sure that this little broad will bring him here?"  
  
  
  
"Oh yea, she'll bring him here in no time.", Lou said with a laugh. He looked up as the limp body hung from the ceiling by a chain, bound and gagged. She appeared to be unconscious. Blood dripped from her nose and lip. "But I dunno if..."  
  
  
  
The garage door exploded, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. The gangsters guarded their faces with their arms from the flying shards of metal. As the smoke started to clear, the shadow of a strong figure could be seen walking through the hole created by the blast. The men in the warehouse all took out their guns and started shooting at it furiously, but it disappeared before a single one hit. The smoke finally cleared completely there was nothing to see but the hole that took over half of the door. They looked around for their unwelcomed guest but found nothing. And then he appeared.  
  
  
  
Gohan was not ready to deal with anybody that got in his way. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, the fire in his eyes was evident. And then he saw her, hanging there in the middle of the room. His mouth dropped open and the fire died down for the moment. For a moment he couldn't believe that she was there. She looked like she was dead, but she couldn't be. No way. He felt his heart fall into his stomach and his throat closing off his airway, as his eyes began to fill with water. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see, he couldn't even move.   
  
  
  
"DIE ASSHOLE!!!!", yelled Lou as the gangsters drew their guns once again and let loose. Gohan quickly turned his attention to the situation, seeing a wall of bullets heading his way. The fire in his eyes returned, even stronger than before and with all his anger he flung out his arms to the side and sent out a shockwave that stopped the bullets in their tracks. They hung in the air for a moment before they came down like rain upon the cement floor. The gangsters all stared, wide-eyed at how Saiyaman had just stopped them like that. He quickly took advantage of the moment and took the men out one by one. When he came up to the boss to deliver a punch he was shot into a nearby wall by some type of blast. He flew into a pile of crates that crumbled under the stress. The blast wasn't all that strong, but packed enough punch that he actually felt it. He looked over to see a tall strong man carrying a canon with a smoking barrel. Behind him stood a much smaller, older looking man holding a small, strange looking gun. The man with the canon was getting ready to fire another blast so Gohan decided to use it. When he fired, Gohan stood up and prepared to deflect it. With a movement of his arm he sent the blast up in Videl's direction. It hit the chain just above her head and she started to fall to the floor, but Gohan dashed beneath her and lowered her down. He stood up to attack the man with the canon, but the smaller guy pulled out his gun and shot another strange blast at him. Before Gohan could react he was wrapped up in some sort of energy rope. He lost his balance and fell back to his knees beside Videl.   
  
  
  
"Ha ha ha. Silly Saiyaman. You're no match for my weapons. See boss, I told you that my guns would have a much better effect, but noooooo. You had to stick with old times and your worthless weapons.", said the small strange man. Gohan was about to tear the weak energy bonds to pieces and take them all out when he felt a nudge on his foot. He looked down at Videl to see her looking at him with half-open eyes. Then she winked at him and shut her eyes. Gohan got the idea, so he waited.  
  
  
  
"Shut up ya stupid scientist! I'm the boss and I do what I want to! But now that we have this asino, we can have a little fun with our hostage.", the boss said with a sneer. He looked at the large man and nodded his head towards Videl. The man put down his canon and walked over to her and Gohan. Gohan was wondering if Videl knew what she was doing, and she gave him an answer. When the man was standing over her body, she quickly moved her legs to spin herself around and sweep his feet out from under him. Gohan quickly stood up and shed the energy bonds. Videl got to her feet and dropped her knee into the man's neck, knocking him out cold. Gohan was rather impressed with her and cracked a smile.   
  
  
  
"Are you gonna help me with this or what?", Videl yelled at him shaking her arms which were still tied by the chains. Gohan straightened up and ripped the chains to pieces, freeing her arms. He smiled at her, but she didn't seem to have time to do the same as she started running at the boss.   
  
  
  
"No wait!!", Gohan yelled after her, but it was too little too late. The scientist pulled his gun again and shot off his energy bonds. Gohan appeared in front of her just as the they were about hit her. The bonds knocked him back into Videl and they both fell to the floor, Gohan wrapped up in energy once again.   
  
  
  
"Well it doesn't look like you two are going to quit. So I'll give you something that'll change that.", the scientist said as he turned and pulled out a remote. He pressed the button on the controller and a huge door opened up from behind the boss's desk. The whole foundation seemed to shake as the huge doors spread apart, pieces of the ceiling falling to the ground. Gohan and Videl could only stare in awe as a 20 foot tall robot walked out from the darkness of the open door. It consisted of one large body with two arms and two legs sticking out of it. It stopped just behind the boss, who was laughing hysterically at the faces Gohan and Videl were making. Gohan figured it wouldn't take much to knock out this machine, even with its size. He quickly shed the energy bonds, and while he was at it shot a small beam at the scientist's gun, disintegrating it. The scientist angrily took his controller and had his machine running towards Gohan. He quickly pushed Videl out of the way and fired a small energy blast at the robot. To Gohan's surprise the blast bounced off of it and came right back at him, smashing into his face followed by the robot's right arm, sending him through a wall into another section of the warehouse.   
  
  
  
"AHAHAHA!!! You fool! You think you can damage my machine with your pathetic power?", yelled the scientist. Gohan started pulling himself out of the rubble, feeling rather unsettled after getting creamed. It hurt a lot more than he had expected. It might take more effort than he thought. When he came back into the room, he hadn't noticed that his shades were broken and his bandana was torn to shreds. When he stopped next to Videl, the broken shades slid off his face and whatever was left of the bandana fell from his head. Videl had a look as if she had just gone through shock therapy. Her jaw dropped around her ankles and her eyes were as wide as saucers.   
  
  
  
"Gohan?", she blurted out. Gohan realized that his cover had just been blown. He wasn't sure how to react, but even if he was he didn't have time as the robot was looming over the both of them. It pulled it's arm back to sweep the both of them, but Gohan, once again, pushed Videl out of the way of danger as the arm came down. It caught Gohan head on and launched him through the roof into the open air. The robot promptly followed, leaving the still astonished Videl to stare. She was brought back to reality when the Lincoln busted through the broken garage door and came to a skidding hault just in front of her. A bunch of gangsters got out, ready to fight. Apparently the boss had called back up. Videl got into a fighting stance, ready to take on anyone that tried her.  
  
  
  
With that unmistakable confidence that she always exudes, she yells at the gangsters,  
  
  
  
"Alright, let's do this." 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
The sun was set ablaze in the afternoon sky as Gohan was launched through the roof of the old warehouse. The small hole left was made twice as large when the scientist's robot came crashing through it, it's sights set on one target: Saiyaman. Gohan could tell he wasn't going to have an easy time with this thing. Somehow it was built to withstand an incredible amount of power, and was able to use as much. Yet with its great power, it lacked in speed, with only hoverpads and jets to control its movements in the air. Gohan stopped himself high above the warehouse and turned his head to face the mechanical monster coming his way. The beams of the sun bounced off its shiny surface, but there was something strange in the way the light was reflected. It came back to his eye with a different glow, as if it were producing its own form of light. Gohan didn't have to time to think about it as the robot came right up to him. Gohan dodged its massive arm as it flew at his head. The wind rustled Gohan's hair as the arm just passed over him. Gohan moved in to punch it in its central body, but his fist did absolutely nothing. The robot didn't even flinch, except for dropping its arm into Gohan's back. Gohan had to power up to stop himself from hitting the middle of the busy street below.  
  
  
  
'This is crazy. How can this machine tolerate my power, or hand it back to me for that matter. There's something I'm missing here.', Gohan thought as he turned around and stared at his opposition. He dashed at it and made an attempt to hit it in the body once again. The machine tried to hit Gohan, but he quickly dodged the attack and threw a strong fist at its body once again, but still nothing happened. Gohan disappeared before the robot's arm came around to smack him. He reappeared above it and tried to drop his feet on top of it. It was like he was landing on solid ground that wouldn't give. He simply stopped there on top of the robot, neither man nor machine moving an inch. Gohan jumped off and hovered in front of the giant. He noticed a small red dot in the middle of its body. He could only guess that it was the eye. He tried shooting a powerful ki blast at it, but it simply bounced off and flew into the clouds. The robot quickly responded by engaging Gohan with arms swinging. Gohan managed to dodge them fairly easily, but that didn't mean a thing if Gohan couldn't damage it.   
  
  
  
'Damn, this just never ends. I can sit here and dodge this thing all day, but I'm not gonna get anywhere if I can't hurt it. There's only one thing left that I can try.', Gohan thought as he quickly flew out of the machine's reach. He pulled up into the clouds and out the other side where he stopped and got into stance, with legs spread and arms curled at his sides. The robot was advancing out through the clouds when Gohan let out a tremendous yell and burst into a brilliant golden flame. The robot was shook by the force and was pushed back down through the clouds.  
  
  
  
'We'll see if it can handle this.', Gohan thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Videl was holding her own against the four gangsters who had just busted in through the garage door. Even though they were all probably twice as big as she was, they were constantly getting tossed around the room like they were dolls. While they were keeping her busy, the boss and the scientist were hiding in the large room that the robot had been stored in.   
  
  
  
"Boss, what are we gonna do?", the scientist asked, thinking that Videl might come after them.   
  
  
  
"If things get rough, we'll blow this joint. Literally.", the boss replied, looking over at a control panel in the corner of the room. On it was a code box protected by a plexiglass covering, locked with a key, which happened to be hanging around the boss's neck.  
  
  
  
"C'mere little girl. Lemme show ya somethin'.", said one of the guys, whipping out a switchblade. He made a run at Videl, swinging the knife wildly trying to hit her. She dodged the attacks quite well, even if she was giving it all she had. She finally grabbed his arm and put a well placed chop to his elbow, causing it to hyperextend. He dropped the knife from the pain, and she picked it up as he stumbled back holding his elbow. She quickly ran up to him and stabbed him in the leg, causing him to fall to one knee, and then, without the support of his arm, he fell over completely. Videl didn't have time to pat herself on the back as two more men were coming after her.  
  
  
  
"You're gonna pay for that.", yelled one.  
  
  
  
"Yea, what he said.", yelled the other, pointing at his partner. Videl just smirked and motioned her hand, telling them to bring it on.  
  
  
  
"You guys better have more sense than your friend here. Or you'll be on the floor next to him.", Videl said, obviously trying to get them mad. It worked. They both ran at her yelling the choice words that came through their mouths the fastest. These two were used to fighting together and so they decided to try and clothesline Videl. They wrapped their arms to make the line and ran as fast as they could, keeping Videl in the middle. She quickly ducked and tripped one of them, thinking it would bring the other down, but he let go of his partners arm and took a swing that connected with Videl's cheek. She staggered back a few steps as the two guys got back, side by side and charged her. She jumped over the both of them and stepped on their heads, causing them to run into the wall. She landed and turned just in time to see a fist coming at her face. She dodged it, but was not so lucky when the other guy put his fist into her stomach. She fell to a knee and gasped for breath. She heard two footsteps just before she saw a boot swing into her face, putting her on her back. She couldn't move for a second, but she found herself being lifted off the ground. The two guys had a hold of her arms and were offering the last guy a hit.   
  
  
  
"Ya wanna have at her before we finish it?", one guy asked.   
  
  
  
"My pleasure.", he said with an evil grin. He walked over to her and put on a pair of brass knuckles. He started smacking his palm with them, getting a feel for the hurtin' he was going to lay down. When Videl noticed he was within range, she pulled her weight downward so that she could touch the ground with her feet. She then pushed off as hard as she could and backflipped, kicking the guy with the knuckles in the chin and flying over the two men holding her. As she went over them, she twisted their arms and they both started screaming in pain. She let go of their arms and grabbed their heads. She quicklky and forcefully knocked them together, leaving them both unconscious on the ground. She was faced with the last guy, who was still rubbing the pain out of his jaw. He noticed that he was the only one left, which didn't give him any notion of comfort. But nevertheless he charged at her, just as all the others had done, with his brass knuckles shining. When he threw his fist at her, she simply moved to the side, grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder into the boss's desk, breaking it in half.   
  
  
  
"You guys are pathetic. I just barely broke a sweat.", Videl scoffed. She stood there with her cocky stance, her hands on her hips, one leg slightly bent with foot tapping the ground. She changed completely when the last guy stood up with a gun that he had found on the ground. She took a step back, but realized it was futile to run at this point, her face took a look of utter terror. The guy began to laugh hysterically.  
  
  
  
"You don't talk so big now. I figured this would shut ya up. Now I'm gonna shut you up for good.", yelled the gangster. His moment of superiority was short lived as an enormous metal body came crashing through the roof on top of him, making him a nice human pancake. Videl was shocked to see the robot on its back lying on the ground, and even more surprising was when Gohan came in after it. But he was different. His hair, it was...blonde. She couldn't believe it. Was Gohan also the golden fighter that had appeared when school first started? She just stared in complete amazement as he landed in front of her, his back to her, keeping his focus on his opponent.  
  
  
  
"Gohan!! Your hair!!", she yelled. He turned around and noticed she was wide-eyed in disbelief. He got that stupid look on his face that was a mixture of surprise and embarrassment as he shuffled his hair.  
  
  
  
"I'll explain later", Gohan said as he turned back around to face the machine which had gotten back on it's feet.   
  
  
  
"But...", she started.  
  
  
  
"Oh and try and find that scientist. See if you can squeeze out some info on how to stop this thing.", Gohan yelled back before she could finish. "I'll bring this thing back in a few minutes."  
  
  
  
He dashed at the robot, jumped up and kicked it hard in the body sending it back a few feet and then he bolted out through the hole in the ceiling. The machine followed suit. Videl, brought back to her senses, began her search for the scientist. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Gohan still wasn't getting anywhere with this robot. As a super saiyan he was able to knock it around a bit, but still wasn't causing any damage. He was now much too fast for the robot to hit, but Gohan wasn't getting anywhere. He decided to take it to the next level. Surely it couldn't withstand that much energy.   
  
  
  
'If this thing can survive an attack against an ascended super saiyan then I'll be surprised.', Gohan thought as he powered up, gathering all the energy from within. He quickly snapped back and a rush of light flooded the area. The force stopped the robot in its tracks and started pushing it away. When the light faded, Gohan was surrouded by strands of electricity and his hair was separated into more defined spikes. He wore a half-grin on his face, as he noticed the machine was pushed quite a ways away and wasn't moving. He took the initiative and dashed with lightning speed at it and punched it as hard as he could. The machine was knocked a ways back, but what surprised Gohan was that when he hit it, he noticed that that strange glow appeared right where he had hit and then faded away. It was almost as if it were protected by...some sort of...energy shield. This was insane. Gohan still couldn't break this thing. While his attention was elsewhere the robot was rearing back to smash him. It came through and decked him square in the face, sending him towards a tall office building. The people inside watched as Saiyaman was coming right at them, spinning out of control. He stopped himeself just short of the window. Everyone gave a sigh of relief and went back to work.   
  
'Man, it still hurts. I'm gonna have to watch myself and not get careless.', Gohan thought. He made another dash and prepared to hit it head on. He disappeared just before reaching it, but its eye was able to track him and threw a punch in anticipation, that connected clean and clear. Gohan was sent through the clouds into the sky. He stopped and looked down as he wiped the blood from his face. He was getting angry that he had let himself get hit like that.  
  
'It can still track my movements. I'll have to sneak up behind it from now on.', Gohan thought. But as he floated there high in the sky, he noticed that the robot was nowhere to be seen.'By the way, where is that thing?'  
  
Gohan thought it might still be below the clouds, but he didn't take in the fact that he couldn't sense it, for it had no ki. He entered into the thick fog on his way down. He couldn't see anything within a few feet which prevented him from noticing that the robot was right on top of him. It let loose on him and pounded him down towards the earth. Gohan stopped, even angrier than before and started shooting high powered ki blasts at the robot from below. They continued to bounce off the shield, creating wild color patterns as the machine descended towards Gohan. It finally got close enough to hit him and let him know it by punching him in the face once again, sending back through the roof of the warehouse.  
  
* * *  
  
Videl had been squeezing all kinds of info out of the scientist while Gohan was fighting the machine. He told her how he had found a piece of hull that had belonged to a ship that landed here on earth about seven years ago. He told her how he had seen it on the news and sent an observation droid over to check the scene when the news cameras were destroyed. He saw the ship get obliterated by a warrior with wild golden hair. But pieces were strewn all about the area, and the droid managed to get some after a boy with similar hair appeared to have killed the ship's owner. When the group left, the droid quickly gathered samples and came back to the lab where he awaited. He analyzed the samples for many years, trying to find out just what they were made of, and how to make more of it. When he finally discovered the secret, he started building his robot. He had named it Rex, but no one in the boss's gang ever called it more than a stupid machine. After building the robot, he needed to make it stronger so it would not be destroyed as easily as the spaceship had been all those years ago. So he took an experiment he had been working on his whole life with shield generators. He made a giant generator that would amplify the armor to astounding new levels, but there was a problem. The robot couldn't handle having this huge generator on its back, so the scientist had to create a remote device to send the power through a signal, but it would take years to get it fully charged. And so it sat for all these years, building up the shield just for a moment like this.   
  
  
  
"And now the Great Saiyaman will perish by the hands of my brilliant masterpiece, REX.", the scientist declared, laughing all the while. At that moment, Gohan came crashing through the ceiling. He was slow to get up, which wasn't a good sign and Videl could tell.  
  
  
  
'Oh no. He's hurt.', she thought.   
  
  
  
"Alright you bastard, Where the hell is this generator?! If I don't destroy it then Gohan's gonna die!!", she demanded from the old scientist.  
  
  
  
"That's the idea.", he replied. Videl walked up and grabbed him by the collar with the look of the devil on her face. She was about to yell at him some more when she noticed a bright light behind her and Gohan yelling some strange words. She dropped the scientist and spun around to see Gohan down in some sort of stance with his hands cupped behind him holding an intense ball of blue energy. She was amazed at the sight. Her dad had always called things like this a "trick". But here she was seeing it for herself. She was stunned.  
  
  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!", Gohan yelled as the machine was coming in through the ceiling. He thrust his hands upward and shot a solid beam straight at it. The blast connected and started to push the robot back up. Gohan continued to feed energy his attack as the robot kept going up higher into the sky. It was about to break through the clouds when the robot finally started pushing back. It wasn't doing a very good job of it, but it wasn't ascending nearly as fast as before. Gohan couldn't keep going like this forever. He would eventually give out and have to stop. Videl turned back around and grabbed the scientist once more and shook him up.   
  
  
  
"WHERE IS IT?!!", she yelled.  
  
  
  
"I'll never tell you.", the scientist yelled back. But he didn't have to tell her, because she noticed that to her left, a certain large machine was starting to make a lot of noise and sparks even started to fly out of it.   
  
  
  
'That must be the generator. Gohan's attack is making it weaker. If he can keep it up a little bit longer it just might explode.', Videl thought. She once again threw down the old man and turned to watch Gohan. He was still pumping energy into his blast, but it was catching up to him. He could feel himself slipping.  
  
  
  
'C'mon Gohan. Just a little more and you've got it.', She thought, watching the generator about to go haywire. But just when she thought he had it, he stopped. His arms fell to his side and he dropped to one knee. He was breathing so heavily that he actually started to choke, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood on the floor. He started breathing a little better after that, but he was definitely tired. Just when he thought he'd get a break, the huge metal monster dropped through the roof and landed a foot right on top of Gohan.   
  
  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!!! GOHAN!!!", Videl screamed. She thought he was dead. She had no idea just how much it took to take a super saiyan down. But apparently neither did the scientist as he was pointing and laughing, declaring victory over Saiyman already. The only one to notice that the job wasn't done was the robot. Who promptly lifted its foot and picked up the limp body. Gohan opened up an eye to see that he was being held 20 feet up in the air. He saw a small hatch opened up in its shoulder and a canon popped out of it. It started to charge a blast that was obviously intended to finish the job.The robot then began to squeeze, and Gohan screamed out in pain. It almost made Videl cry seeing him alive but also hearing his screams of pain. She collected herself and figured she was the only one who could save him now. She looked around furiously for something to destroy the generator with. She immediatly found the canon that the man had dropped earlier and grabbed it. She ran back to the generator and prepared to destroy it. The scientist quickly dashed in front of it in an attempt to stop her.  
  
  
  
"NO!! YOU CAN'T!! I'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS!!!", the scientist yelled trying to persuade her. She didn't even hear him. Not even his screams as she fired the canon, setting off an explosion that left the shield generator nothing but a pile of rubbish. She looked over at the robot and noticed it flash in a variety of different colors and then fade away. The shield was gone.  
  
  
  
"Gohan!! The shield is down!!! Destroy it!!", she yelled, hoping he was still conscious enough to hear her. Evidently he did.   
  
  
  
Gohan stopped screaming and clenched his teeth, bringing up any reserve energy he might have. Still in his ascended form, he exploded in a wave of energy that completely shattered the robot's hand. Gohan fell to the ground and managed somehow to land on his feet. He knew he wasn't finished though as the canon was still charging a blast. He was prepared for it, and when it fired, Gohan, with a swift movement of his hand, deflected the blast right back at it, hitting it dead center of its eye. The blast went all the way through and came out the other side, shooting through the ceiling into the clouds. For a moment the machine just stood there, but slowly it began to tip over. It finally fell over onto the floor and lay there, it's main circuit-board had been completely fried. Gohan's hair turned back to black as he powered down.  
  
  
  
Videl ran over to the badly beaten Gohan and jumped on him, giving him a huge hug. She wasn't exactly conscious of the fact that he was about to pass out from exhaustion. He tried to hide his pain though, for her sake.  
  
  
  
"Oh Gohan, I'm so glad your okay!", she said with her head hugging his shoulder. He was so glad that she was okay, too. He never thought he would be so happy to see her. Or that she would be the same way. He didn't say anything, but simply enjoyed the moment with her. The warmth she gave him, the care that she gave him...the love that she gave him. His mind took a U-turn and honed in on that last part. Love? Could it be? Was this what his mind had been trying to tell him the whole time? There were so many questions pouring into his mind at that second that he didn't even hear the alarm go off, until Videl let go of him and turned around.  
  
  
  
"What the hell is that.", she blurted out. Then the boss came running out of the room he had been hiding in and grabbed on to a rope ladder that was hanging down through a hole in the ceiling. His private helicopter.   
  
  
  
"HA HA HA!! I'd like to see you escape this one Saiyaman! This bomb is big enough to blow up the whole city! See ya suckers!", the boss yelled as he ascended through the hole.  
  
  
  
"We gotta go after him and get him to diffuse that bomb!", Gohan yelled  
  
  
  
"Detonation in T-minus...30 seconds", blared an awefully mechanical voice.  
  
  
  
"Or maybe not.", Gohan responded, realizing there was no time for that plan.   
  
  
  
"What are we going to do then?", Videl asked almost in a panic.  
  
  
  
"25...", the mechanical voice resounded.  
  
  
  
"Videl, I want you to get out of here. I can stop the blast from destroying the city.", Gohan said.  
  
  
  
"You can't possibly do that, Gohan.!", she yelled.  
  
  
  
"20..."  
  
  
  
"Sure I can. I'll just create a shield around the warehouse so only it and everything inside is affected.", Gohan explained.  
  
  
  
"But...", Videl started.  
  
  
  
"15..."  
  
  
  
"But you'll die!!", she tried to reason with him.  
  
  
  
"You may be right. But I've got a city to save. And most of all, I've got you to save. Now GO!!!", he yelled, he thrust his hand in her direction, sending a small shockwave, blowing her back out through the hole in the garage door. She landed on her feet out on the sidewalk, and was prepared to run right back in there until a glowing hemisphere of blue energy came down around the building. She smacked right into it and fell backwards.   
  
  
  
"10..."  
  
  
  
"Dammit, Gohan! You can't do this!", she yelled.  
  
  
  
"9..."  
  
  
  
"It's my job, too"  
  
  
  
"8..."  
  
  
  
She started pounding on the force field furiously as if she thought she could some how break in and help Gohan.  
  
  
  
"7..."  
  
  
  
The tears began to well up in her eyes, her fists slowing down to where she wasn't even hitting it anymore.  
  
  
  
"6..."  
  
  
  
"Gohan.", she whispered.  
  
  
  
"5..."  
  
  
  
"I never got to tell you how I felt."  
  
  
  
"4..."  
  
  
  
"Because I never knew myself.  
  
  
  
"3..."  
  
  
  
"Until now."  
  
  
  
"2..."  
  
  
  
"I love you.", her tears gushing from her eyes as her emotions exploded inside of her.  
  
  
  
"1..."  
  
  
  
Videl took one more look into the warehouse before everything inside the shield turned white. Not even a sound made it through the field, or if there was she didn't hear it. She was completely overwhelmed by the fact that Gohan had just sacrificed himself for the entire city. The bright white soon turned black, and the force field disappeared. The smoke rose quickly into the air as the flames ate everything left behind that wasn't instantly disintegrated. When the smoke was thin enough to see through, she dashed into the warehouse hoping to find him. She almost fainted when she saw him, lying in the middle of the floor, his clothes tattered and burning. She extinguished any and all flames on his body and kneeled down at his side. She cradled his upper body and held up his head, hoping he still had some life in him. He was barely breathing, but alive none-the-less. He opened his eyes a little, which was all he could manage, and smiled when he saw her face. She was raining tear drops on his chest as she smiled back at him.  
  
  
  
"How'd I do? Did I save the city?", he barely managed to say with a raspy voice.  
  
  
  
"Yea...", she replied between sobs, "...you saved us all"  
  
  
  
"Great.", Gohan squeezed between a short cough, "Tell my parents what happened. They'll know what to do."  
  
  
  
"What? Gohan, I don't understand...", she started getting worried by what he was saying.  
  
  
  
"Videl, I love you.", he interrupted. She was shocked. It hit her like a bag of bricks. She didn't know what to say, but she knew exactly how he felt. She felt the same way.   
  
  
  
"I've always wanted to tell you.", Gohan explained his voice getting weaker with everyword. Videl could barely hear him. "But I..."  
  
  
  
He didn't even have time to finish before she brought her lips down to his and kissed him. They shared the moment for what seemed like forever. The emotions that both had hidden inside for so long were all expressed in this one kiss. She didn't want it to stop, but she felt his lips suddenly get cold. She pulled her head back and noticed that Gohan's eyes were shut and he had stopped breathing. She moved her elbow from behind his head and it fell back limp. He was dead. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
The storm clouds had long passed the mountain area. The rain had left a rainbow of splendid color as the sun sent its golden rays down to the earth. The small drops of water on the grass sparkled like a sea of stars on the lush green. The water dripped from the tips of flowers and rained down from the leaves of trees. Everything seemed so alive after the rain. But Videl didn't even notice. To her, everything was dead at that very moment. Gohan's body was outstretched in the compartment behind her as she piloted her hovercopter. She had to hold back tears every time she thought about the last moment she had with him. She didn't even get to tell him goodbye. All she had was a kiss. A kiss that she knew had held everything she wanted to give him. But how could that be it? How could their time together simply end right there? She really didn't want to even think about it, but her mind wouldn't let it go.   
  
  
  
She was heading for Gohan's house in accordance to his wishes. He had told her to tell his parents, that they would know what to do. She still didn't understand what he meant by that, but she would do it no matter what. She had never been out in this area before, but her guided map could tell her how to get anywhere given the coordinates. She was flying at blazing speeds, trees blowing violently in her wake. She finally spotted the small house inbetween a few small mountains. She steadied the hovercopter and began her descent in front of the house. The grass spread wildly as hoverpads pushed with all their force to make for a smooth landing. The legs touched the ground ever so slowly until it was completely landed. At that point, everything seemed to shut down, the hum of the engines dying down until there was nothing but silence. Chi-Chi busted through the front door with a menacing look on her face. She didn't seem happy that Videl had just dropped by so unexpectedly.  
  
  
  
"What do you think your doing? You can't just land here in our yard like this. You had better...", Chi-Chi was cut short when her lungs jumped into her throat as Videl was carrying Gohan's body out of the hovercopter. She dropped to her knees with a hand over her mouth as if to stop her heart from jumping out of it. Her eyes wide with fear and complete shock as her son was being carried to her by someone she didn't even know.   
  
  
  
"Gohan asked me to tell you what happened.", Videl said solemnly. Chi-Chi could only stare and nod as she got back to her feet and led Videl into the house. Goku and Goten had been out training all afternoon and weren't around as Videl put Gohan's body on a couch in the livingroom. Videl and Chi-Chi sat in chairs at opposite ends of the couch.  
  
  
  
"I don't even know where to begin.", Videl managed through swells of sadness that tugged at her eyes to let them shed the tears.   
  
  
  
"Maybe we should wait until his father gets back.", Chi-Chi decided, the same look sorrow dragged across her face. At that moment the door opened and the tall spikey-haired saiyan waltzed in as if his day had been perfect so far. His good mood soon took a turn down hill at the sight of his son lying dead on the couch. He seemed petrifyed, cememted in his position until Chi-Chi's voice broke the spell.  
  
  
  
"Goku, leave Goten outside. I don't want him to see this.", Chi-Chi demanded.   
  
  
  
"See what, mom?", Goten broke in before Goku could react to Chi-Chi's orders. His face even brighter and livelier than Goku's was at first, which made it even harder to watch as his smile broke down completely, his cheer taking a drastic fall into grief. His reaction was by far the worst as his eyes immediatly started gushing tears and he ran up to his brother, tugging his lifeless arm. "Gohan?", his attempts get some reaction becoming more desperate as the reality of it finally dawned on him. "Gohan wake up! Please wake up!"  
  
  
  
"Goten, calm down. It's okay.", Goku consoled his young son as he picked him up and held him tightly, hoping to somehow make the pain go away.  
  
  
  
"But Gohan, he's..he's dead isn't he.", Goten whispered through sobbing lips. His tears soaking his father's shoulder.  
  
  
  
"Yes, son. But don't worry, everything will be fine.", Goku tried to explain to the distressed little saiyan. He then looked up to the two women sitting at either side of his oldest. "What happened?"  
  
  
  
Videl looked down as if she had been hit with a task that no one could ever accomplish. "I think you had better sit down."  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
She tried to make the explanation short, but it was dragged out with moments of breakdown, where she would have to wait until she could control her tears to go on. She started from the beginning, with the shooting at the school and her kidnapping as well as Gohan's daring rescue. She explained how their son had given his life to save the city where she lived and where they went to school together. In her words, he was a hero. She finally managed to get everything out through the tears.   
  
  
  
"So you're Videl Satan?", Chi-Chi inquired, figuring from the story that she had just heard that's who she was.  
  
  
  
"Yes, how did you know?", Videl wondered.  
  
  
  
"Gohan has mentioned you before.", chi-Chi answered. This hit Videl as sort of odd. But maybe it was just that Gohan had talked about her with his parents, but also the fact that his parents didn't seem very worried anymore that their son was dead. This brought up a question that had been in the back of her mind from Gohan's last words.  
  
  
  
"Excuse me for asking, but Gohan told me that when I brought him here that you would know what to do. What did he mean?", she asked, wiping what was left of her tears from her cheeks.   
  
  
  
"He must be talking about the dragonballs.", Goku responded.  
  
  
  
"Dragon-wha?", Videl asked as if she hadn't heard that right.   
  
  
  
"Dragonballs. It's hard to explain right now, but basically they can bring Gohan back to life.", Goku answered. Videl's eyes went wide as what he had just said started to register. She was about to ask what on earth Goku was talking about, but she was cut short when her wristwatch went off. She looked down at it and her heart dropped into her stomach as she read the message.   
  
  
  
-VIDEL, COME TO HOSPITAL. IT'S ABOUT YOUR FATHER-  
  
  
  
She almost forgot about where she was and what she was doing there as ideas of what was wrong. She was hoping it wasn't what she was thinking. She quickly stood up and started for the door.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, but I have to go, it's something important, I'm really sorry.", she quickly explained as she rushed out the door to her hovercopter.  
  
  
  
"What was that all about?", Goku wondered out loud.  
  
  
  
"I think it was something about her father. He was shot yesterday. That's why Gohan didn't go to school today.", Chi-Chi explained to the obviously out of tune Goku.  
  
  
  
"Are we gonna save Gohan?", Goten asked, almost begging as he tugged on his father's pant leg.  
  
  
  
"Yea Goten.", Goku replied. "We're gonna save him."  
  
* * *  
  
Videl bolted through the hospital doors. She didn't even bother with the woman at the front desk, or even the elevators for that matter. She simply ran as fast as she could, up the stairs and down the hall where her father's room awaited just ahead. When she busted into his room, her world simply stopped. The light speed that everything had been going by at since she got the call came to a grinding halt. She didn't seem to move for what seemed like hours. Her steps were so slow they would have given a snail a good race. She couldn't believe what was there in front of her. She didn't want to believe what was there. It couldn't be real.   
  
  
  
The doctors had just taken him off life support right before they called her. It wasn't something they had wanted to do, but it was for the best. Mr. Satan's condition had only gotten worse by the hour. He was coughing up so much blood that they finally decided it was the best thing to do. They didn't want to do it, but there was no other choice.  
  
  
  
"W...Why...", videl barely muttered as she fell to her knees at her father's bedside. Whatever tears she had left, she let them go. She dropped her head into the sheets and wept. Her life seemingly on a downhill slope. She didn't want to know why all this was happening to her. All on this one day. A day she never thought she would ever have to endure. She wanted to suffocate herself in the sheets, but she was struck with a much deeper desire.   
  
  
  
Videl stood up and stared at her father one last time before she turned around and walked out the door. A new feeling stirring beneath her skin. She wasn't sad anymore, her tears had dried and there were none left behind her eyes. She was only thinking one thing. Destroy those responsible. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
It was getting late and the sun was fading away in the distant horizon. Streetlights flickered off and on, illuminating the twilight city. Damage crews still flocking to the old warehouse picking up what was left of it. A traumatized society still recovering from what happened the day before, was once again set on edge with the events of today. But one person wasn't phased by any of this. One person was determined to do what she knew she had to do. She didn't even know how to find who she was looking for, but she knew who would.   
  
  
  
The police station was already in a state of panic over everything that had happened at the warehouse, but Videl had been there many times before and had no trouble finding her way around. She simply walked in and took the stairs up to the chief's office, passing all the busy officers trying to get their work done. It was like trying to get around in a mall during holiday seasons, but Videl didn't seem to notice as she shoved everyone out of her way and barged into the chief's office. He was on the phone.  
  
"I don't care what you had planned tonight, you put that shit on hold until we get this sorted out!! Now don't even talk to me until you're done working!!", he yelled through the receiver. He promptly slammed it down knocking some papers off of his desk. He didn't seem to notice. He did notice Videl, however, and his mood didn't seem to change towards her from when he was yelling at the guy on the phone.  
  
"Videl, where the hell have you been!!", he shouted from across his desk. "This place has been like a madhouse and you just disappeared from the crime scene. We didn't know..."  
  
"I need to see any criminals apprehended from the warehouse.", she interrupted, her eyes stone cold as they broke through the chief's barrier of hostility.  
  
"There weren't any. They all died in the explosion. All we have is one guy who was in on the shooting yesterday.", the chief explained in a less aggravated tone.  
  
"I'd like to see him then.", she responded. The chief nodded and quickly led her to the interrogation room. A new desk and chairs had been put in there after what Gohan had done earlier this afternoon. The chief brought the man in and left the two alone.  
  
"Now I've got work to do so I can't watch over you two, but I don't think I'll have to. The officer in the holding cells will tell you where he goes when your done.", the chief explained as he walked out and closed the steel door. They were all alone. The guy still a little bugged out after his interrogation with Gohan so he wasn't quite as cool and confident as before. He quickly took his seat and waited, twiddling his thumbs nervously on the table. Videl took her time as she paced around the room, thinking about how much she just wanted to kill him. But she had to get some information, and the chief surely wouldn't be happy if he came back and found the guy dead. He finally stopped pacing and walked up to the desk, slamming her palms and leaning into the guys face.  
  
"Are you the one that shot my father?", she asked with a tone that suggested that he had better hope it wasn't him.  
  
"N...No way. That was Lou, he's the one that took him out, honest.", he blabbered trying to spit out the right words.  
  
"Do you guys have any idea what you've done?", she said, not shifting her tone the least bit. She began to walk around the table to the other side where the guy was still staring at his thumbs making circles around each other.  
  
"I dunno. We just did what we were told, alright?", he said thinking it was some kind of excuse. Videl quickly ran up beside him and slammed her fist into the table.  
  
"HE'S DEAD!! YOU HEAR ME?! HE'S DEAD!!!", she yelled into his ear with a deafening voice that left a ringing in his head. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he could feel her eyes piercing through him. He couldn't bring himself to say anything to her words.  
  
"Now you're going to tell me where your boss is hiding, and don't tell me the old warehouse. He already blew it up.", she commanded.  
  
"I can't tell you that.", he replied. Videl didn't even think before she grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face into the table. She lifted him back up, still holding his hair as if threatening to do it again if he didn't answer her question.  
  
"Really, I can't tell you. He'd have my balls in a jar on his desk.", he strained through the pain. Videl quickly repeated her last action only harder, giving him a cut on his forehead that left a red stain on the wood. She quickly pulled him back into the wall and grabbed his throat, picking him off the floor with one hand.  
  
"Okay! Okay! He has a mansion outside the city, just north of here!", he wheezed trying to get it all out as fast as he could. Videl dropped him and he fell in a heap on the floor coughing and rubbing his throat. Videl grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hauled him to the door leading to the holding cells. She opened it up and tossed him in, motioning to the officer to take him back to his cell. She gave him one last look of disgust before she turned around.  
  
"I'll give your regards to the boss.", she said as she walked out, closing the door behind her.   
  
  
  
* * *  
  
The night sky was closing in, almost completely taking over the city. A pair of floodlights blazed through the skies heading north out of the city. Her map was of no use, so her eyes wandered across the black terrain for any signs of the mansion that the man had talked about. There didn't seem to be anything in sight and she had been flying for some time now. She almost thought that maybe he had lied to her just to get out of her torture until she saw some lights in the distance. She turned her lights off as not to be seen. She landed just outside the barred fence behind the house and hopped out on the lawn. She looked for a possible place to enter and quickly climbed over the fence, landing as softly as she could. A guard came out of the back door to have a smoke. Videl decided this would be the perfect opportunity to get inside. She noticed he was wielding an uzi in his hand, but when she was close enough, saw a 9mm in the back of his pants. When he had his back turned to her she quickly ran up and grabbed the the gun from his pants and hit him in the back of the head with it, knocking him out cold. The door was still wide open, and so she walked right in.   
  
She slowly walked down the extravagantly decorated hallway, paintings centuries old hanging from the walls. She didn't even want to think about what he did to get all this money, how many banks he had robbed, how many people he had killed. He had killed the two most important people in her life, and that's all the reason she needed for what she was going to do. She held the gun tightly in her hand as she turned a corner down another hall. There were doors on either side all the down where it ended with a stairwell leading to the second floor. As she walked she heard the sound of a TV and guys yelling at it in a nearby room. She peeked around the doorway and saw three guys sitting in easychairs watching a football game. She was able to walk past without them noticing her, but as she passed by she overheard one of them.  
  
"Hey man, I'm goin' to the kitchen for some more booze. You guys want anything?", one guy said, getting up out of his chair.  
  
"Nah. I still got half of this one left."  
  
"Yeah, I gotta watch this game."  
  
Videl rushed to the next room she came to and tried to find a place to hide. The light was off so finding a spot wasn't easy. She got under what seemed to be a log table in the middle of the room. She held her breath as she heard the man coming down the hall towards her. She was terrified when the lights in the room came on. She was hiding in the kitchen. The guy walked to the refridgerator and rooted out some beers. He didn't seem to notice Videl under the table as he walked out and back down the hall. She exhaled after holding her breath the entire time he was in there. He hadn't turned off the lights so she decided to take a look around after she got out from under the table. Something caught her attention. An old gas stove, something of an antique. She got an idea.  
  
* * *  
  
"Man, the boss has been real stressed out since he got here. I heard he almost got busted today and had to blow up the old warehouse.", said one guard as the two walked down the hall towards the boss's room.   
  
"I dunno. But whatever it is, I don't wanna mess with it. I don't even wanna go in there.", said the other.  
  
Videl was watching them from the stairwell, and figured they would be the ones to lead her straight to the one she wanted. They walked through the door at the end of the hall, and Videl could just make out one of them saying, "Hey boss.", just before the door closed. She checked out the second floor to find that there was no one else there. It was just her, the two guards, and the boss. She walked down the hall towards the room at the end. Her mind clouded with all her anger and gun in hand she stood just outside the door. She could hear them talking and could distinguish where each person was from where their voices were coming from. She put her hand on the knob, shut her eyes and prepared to unleash hell.  
  
None of the guys even saw it coming before Videl busted through the door. She immediately shot the two guards before they could reach for their weapons. She quickly pointed the gun at the boss before he could even stand up from behind his desk. The look in his eyes didn't even begin to tell how shocked he was. He couldn't believe who was standing before him. His shock was soon mixed with intense fear as he realized that his life was hanging by the tip of her finger.  
  
"No. You're dead.", he managed through his state of trepidation.  
  
"Wrong. You're dead.", she threw it right back at him. She didn't want him to live another second, the sight of him only fueled her anger. So she pulled the trigger.  
  
*click*  
  
Her heart skipped a few beats as the sound of an empty barrel bounced back and forth in her ears. She pulled the trigger again and again, only to get the same sound every time. The boss started to breathe again and even started to chuckle. Videl didn't know what to do, all of her emotions had brought her to this very moment, only to fail at the last instant. She didn't even move her arm, still holding the gun pointed at the boss's head.   
  
"Looks like your luck ran out little girl.", the boss laughed as he stood up out of his chair. He slowly opened a drawer in his desk revealing a revolver. Videl still seemed to be in a state of disbelief as she stood right in front of him. But Videl was watching him, she noticed him open the drawer, and when he reached for the gun she quickly made her move. As he lifted the gun to shoot her, she dropped the gun and jumped up towards the boss. Using the desk to boost herself, she kicked the gun straight up and used her other foot and kick the boss back down into his chair. She caught the gun on its way down and landed on top of the desk, looking down at him, gun aimed between his eyes. She didn't hesitate for a second as she pulled the trigger and every bit of anger, her rage and hatred, went with it. Her mind was perfectly clear. She felt liberated. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
  
  
The wind whistled and howled, blowing leaves and twigs across the grass. It ruffled her hair as she stood motionless at the top of the hill. Her pony tails blowing up into her face didn't bother her at all as she just stared at the slab of stone set in the ground before her. Her tears falling slowly down her face before getting caught in the wind and carried off, becoming another part of nature. Her father's name was etched in big letters across this elegant tombstone along with the dates of his birth and death as well as an epitaph reading: Forever Our Champion. He had been buried at the top of a hill at the upper end of the city, as if they were saying that he was still watching them. Like he was still with them. He would be remembered forever.  
  
  
  
"I did it, father.", she said as if he could hear what she was saying. "I avenged you. It's the only thing I could do for you. I wish I could've been there for you, maybe now you can truely rest in peace."  
  
The last crystal drops were squeezed from her eyes as she shut them and bowed her head, saying a short prayer. She sniffled and brought her head back up, opening her eyes to a sight that caused her to stop breathing. It was Gohan standing behind her father's tombstone. She ran up to touch him, but his image faded away. She stopped, her hand touching nothing but air. It was just an illusion, her mind making her think he was there. She really missed him, even more than she knew. She wondered if she would ever see him again, and it made her think of what his father had said before she ran off to the hospital. She hoped that they really could somehow bring him back to life. It would be the only thing left to hold on to. The only thing she could live for. The only thing she could love.  
  
She turned from the stone memory of her father and walked back to her hovercopter. She ascended into the clear blue sky, keeping her eyes on the tombstone until it was out of sight. She turned on the radio, hoping it would calm her cramped mind. It was on some news channel, and the annoying voice of the anchor wasn't exactly what she needed right now. She was about to change the station, but something caught her attention. She started listening to what the anchor was saying.  
  
"...and it's been just over a week since authorities found a mansion burned to the ground just north of the city. Only a few bodies were recovered, much less identifiable. But authorities say that one was identified as notorious mob boss Vinnie Vinchenzo, responsible for several crimes all over the city, and wanted in several other cities in the area as well. Fire marshals are saying that the fire was caused by a leak from an old gas stove on the first floor kitchen. The detonation destroyed the entire first floor causing the second to collapse. We'll bring more on that story as it continues to unfold. Now to the weather..."  
  
Videl wanted to smile as she reflected on her quest for vengence, but she knew what she had done and didn't like the fact that she had to kill those people. But she didn't regret it. It was something she had to do, and she wouldn't have gone about it any other way. Her mind was getting cluttered again and she changed the station to some more soothing music as she made her way back home.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey dad, I see it. It's right over here.", Goten called after his father as they searched through the canyon for the dragonball that was show on the radar to be in this area. Goku caught up with his son as they dove into a crevace heading straight for the reflected sparkle that had gotten Goten's attention. They stopped at the small cliff that the orange orb was sitting on and watched as the sun's reflection twinkled in from its glassy surface. Goku picked it up and put into the bag with the other five they had already collected.  
  
"Great, that makes six. We only need one more Goten.", Goku said excitedly. His son mimicking the excitement as they burst out from the long hole and stopped above the mountains, checking the radar for the last dragonball. When they got a reading, they both exploded in a brilliant white flame and shot off into the distance.  
  
The last ball was hidden deep in a cave under the cover of the forest Goku and Goten flew over it a few times before they broke through the treetops and landed on the dark ground. Most of the ground was covered in shadow, but there was plenty of sunlight to break through and create a visible path through the maze of trees. They looked around hoping that the dragonball would be in plain view, but it was nowhere to be seen. Goku spotted a cave leading underground. This had to be the way.  
  
"Goten, I think the dragonball is somewhere in there. Let's go get it.", Goku said, leading his son into the depths of the unknown.   
  
The beeping sound of the radar echoed throughout the tunnel that they were so uncautiously walking down. It started getting darker and darker until finally nothing could be seen besided the faint glow of the dragonballs through the bag Goku was carrying. But as it got darker, their glow got brighter. This was definitely the right track. The two saiyans felt their way along the walls as they continued to descend into places they couldn't even see. Finally the walls ended and Goku and Goten stumbled forward into what they could only guess was a large room. They noticed there was something glowing in unison with the dragonballs, but it was very faint and the dragonballs were pulsating extremely bright. Goku didn't know what to make of it, so he decided to shed a little light on the situation. He quickly burst into a golden aura that illuminated the entire room, but maybe that wasn't for the best, for Goku found himself face to face with a giant serpent, its mouth open wide ready to swallow him whole. He jumped back just as its jaws slammed shut. Goten backed up into the wall, a little frightened of this huge monster. It reared back, uncoiling its long body as it prepared to stike again. Goku noticed that faint glow underneath its skin. It must of eaten it when it landed in the forest. Goku had a plan.  
  
"Goten, I'm gonna need your help with this one. Just do what I tell you.", he yelled as the serpent dropped its head, looking to catch Goku again. Goku flew straight up into its mouth and it started to shut its jaw. It stopped when it found its maw stuck in position with Goku in between arms and legs stretched up and down keeping the living vise from crushing him.   
  
"NOW GOTEN!! FLY DOWN ITS THROAT AND GET THE DRAGONBALL!!", he commanded. Goten took flight as he burst into a yellow flame. He went right past his father and down the slimy gullet. It smelled aweful, but Goten couldn't let it get to him. He kept going further and further down the fleshy cavern until he saw the faint glow. He picked up the ball but it slipped out of his hands, he quickly scrambled trying to grab the slippery sphere. He finally clamped down on it with both hands and held tight as he flew as fast as he could out through its mouth where Goku was still holding strong. When Goten was safely out, Goku dashed from its vicious jaws and dashed back to the tunnel following Goten. The serpent gave chase as they made their exit, snapping after them as they flew out through the cave and out of the forest back into the open air. They now had all the dragonballs.   
  
"Alright Goten, let's go home and get your brother back.", Goku said.  
  
Goten's eyes lit up with joy. "YEA!!"  
  
* * *  
  
Videl was taking out the bank robbers one by one as they came running out trying to escape. She made it quick and easy, leaving their beaten bodies for the cops to slap the cuffs on. She seemed to have taken care of all of them and started to head back to her hovercopter when two men came out of nowhere, wielding mean looking machine guns.   
  
"Hold it little girl. We ain't finished yet.", they yelled at her. She wasn't ready to take any crap from punks calling her "little girl". She had heard that enough and it only got the guys trashed in the end. But when she turned around, she found she wouldn't be able to get anywhere staring down the barrels of their AK-47s. She didn't know what to do, but luckily she didn't have to. With quick rush of the wind, the guns were sliced in half, the barrels falling to the ground and gunpowder cascading down to the sidewalk. There he stood, between the two burglars, his fists coming up to meet their faces, sending them through the front window of the bank. His smile was enough to make Videl burst into tears. She ran up to him and hugged him with all she had wanted to give him since that fateful day. He swept her off her feet and carried her off into the sky. Videl just stared at his face with overflowing joy. She reached up and took off his bandana and shades to look at his beautiful face. She couldn't believe that it was really him.  
  
"Oh Gohan.", she let out, not really having anything else to say. But at that instant he disappeared and she started to fall. She was a little surprised at first, but figured he would catch her. But she kept falling and was falling faster and faster. She turned around to face the ground and found she was miles above the ground and closing fast. She started thinking that maybe it was just another illusion. But it couldn't be. She was really falling. An illusion couldn't pick her up and drop her from miles in the sky. She didn't know what to do. She was about to hit the ground. She closed her eyes and braced for the last moment of her life.  
  
"GOHAN!!!", videl woke up screaming in her bed. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
The moonlight flooded the room, coming in through the window like an unwelcome guest. Everything illuminated in a pale shade of white, shadows looming at every corner. His eyes watching the shadows of the trees dancing across the walls as the gentle wind passed by. He didn't know what to think about, there were so many things going through is head. He just tried to clear his head. He would do everything tomorrow. His body was still recovering after being revived a few hours ago. He didn't even move, he just lay there staring at the ceiling as if it were the most exciting thing in the world.  
  
  
  
But his mind would always circle back to one thing, Videl. Out of all the things that were jammed in his head, she was the one constant that always came back to him. What would he say to her, how would he act when he saw her again? She knew everything about him now, his secret identity, his powers and his feelings. But how would she react when she saw him again? How would he react?  
  
Gohan turned his head to his sleeping brother who had been so excited to have him back. The first thing Gohan saw, after Goku wished him back, was this little spikey-haired ball of tears coming straight for him. Goten's short arms wrapped around his neck as the little saiyan started spouting off how much he missed him. Gohan couldn't even think yet, much less breathe and had to take his brother's arms from around his neck to get some fresh air in his lungs. His father helped him to his feet knowing that, after being dead for so many days, it would take a few minutes to get back to his senses. His family was all standing around him outside the house as the seven dragonballs standing motionless in the sky suddenly exploded apart and spread to the far corners of the earth. They all went inside and talked for hours about what happened the day he died as well as things that happened in the time since that day. Chi-Chi had cooked all sorts of things for Gohan and he spent most of the time filling his stomach as he listened to Goten and Goku talk about their times looking for the dragonballs while he was gone. Goten seemed to act as Goku's pictograph as he would act like the serpent, flying around the room until Chi-Chi scolded him, saying he might break something. After they talked for a while Chi-Chi took Goten to bed and Gohan and Goku sat holding their stomachs after stuffing themselves with food.   
  
"Man, I never thought I could miss food this much." Gohan said letting out a small burp.  
  
"Yea, I know what ya mean.", Goku responded with a loud belch. They both broke out laughing, almost falling out of their seats until Chi-Chi came back into the room.  
  
"GOKU!!! What do you have to say for yourself?!", she yelled, her finger aimed at his nose as if she could take it off in an instant.  
  
"Boy that sure tasted better going down than coming up." he joked, still laughing.  
  
"RRGH! I don't know how I put up with you." she said shaking her head.   
  
"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed. I still don't feel like I'm all here." Gohan said.  
  
"Yea, I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning.", Goku assured his son. They all hugged each other before Gohan went to his room and crawled into bed.  
  
As so here he was, staring at the ceiling as if it would somehow put him to sleep. The dancing shadows did have an entrancing effect that would normally put him to sleep in no time. If only he could stop thinking about her. He sat up in his bed to take a look at the moon outside as it gleamed from above the trees, making a path of light on the grass.  
  
Gohan was about to put his head back down when he thought he saw something moving outside. He set his eyes on a search of any movement. Then it caught his eye again. There was someone outside. He got up out of his bed, putting on some clothes, and hopped out of the window down to the ground. For a moment he lost sight of whatever it was with him outside. He looked around and saw it again, standing before him, too far away to tell what it was. Gohan began to approach it, slowly. It didn't move, whatever it was, but Gohan continued moving forward. He began to make out its features, the long white T-shirt with teh skin-tight black shorts, the two pony tails hanging over her shoulders. Gohan's eyes went wide and his jaw seemed to come unhinged as his mouth fell open. There she stood, so beautiful under the moonlight, as if it were...a dream.  
  
Gohan, realizing this familiar situation before, pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. And then he heard her voice, something he had wanted to hear for what seemed like eternity.  
  
"You're not dreaming, Gohan." she said, her voice like music to his ears.  
  
"Wha...but you...but how..." Gohan stammered, not sure how to make what he was saying into a sentence, but he was cut off when she ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, almost knocking him over. He put his strong arms around her as well, sharing with her in this moment together. She moved her head off of his chest and looked in his eyes. He could see her eyes sparkle as the moonlight reflected off her tears. Her smile almost made him lose the strength in his legs, but he continued to hold her close, as if he were to let her go she would disappear.   
  
"How did you know I was alive?" Gohan softly asked.  
  
"I dunno." she responded. "I just woke up, and I could feel it. It was strange, but I just knew that you were alive." Gohan just smiled at her, a look that made even more tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"You have no idea how much I missed you after you died in my hands. What's even worse is that..." she trailed off as she started to cry.  
  
"It's okay, I know. I'm sorry." he said as he consoled her. His parents had told him about Mr. Satan's death earlier today. It had been all over the news the day that he died.  
  
"I'll be alright. As long as I have you." she whispered as she put the side of her head onto his chest. Gohan could feel his heart beating through his ribs. He didn't know how to respond. Videl smiled as she felt his heart through his chest. She looked back up at him, and she could see him blushing even in the pale light. Gohan smiled sheepishly back at her.  
  
"Gohan..." Videl started.  
  
"Yea?"   
  
"Don't ever leave me again, okay?" she continued. Gohan was a little stunned, but he realized what she was asking him for. And he didn't have to hide it anymore. He knew that this was what his mind had been preparing him for ever since he first laid eyes on her. Now this was it, his moment to express what he had held for the longest time. His love.  
  
"Okay" Gohan whispered back holding her as close as he possibly could. Videl put her head back on his chest as felt the warm flow from him onto her face. She could almost fall asleep right there, it was so comforting. Gohan then took his arms from around her body and placed his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and her eyes gleamed with a passionate gaze that Gohan had never seen in her before.  
  
"Gohan..." Videl began to say something, but Gohan leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, making the rest of it muffled sounds. The love they shared seemed to explode even more than the last time, their emotions overflowing as they embraced under the moonlight. And at that very moment, their hearts began to beat together.  
  
THE END 


End file.
